Wolverines Defeated by Portland in Extra Innings

Friday, February 29

Surprise, Ariz.

4:00 PM MT

Michigan

3-2

Portland

5-2

Portland

MICHIGAN

2/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

Site: Surprise, Ariz. (Nolan Ryan Field)
Score: Portland 4, #18 Michigan 3 (10 Innings)
Records: U-M (3-2), POR (5-2)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, March 1 -- vs. Hawaii (Surprise, Ariz.), Noon MST

Boxscore

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The University of Michigan baseball team fell in extra innings to Portland, 4-3, Friday (Feb. 29) at Nolan Ryan Field in the Texas Rangers Spring Training facility. The Wolverines, ranked 18th by USA Today/ESPN and eighth by Baseball America, outhit the Pilots by a 10-9 margin but were beat in the tenth inning.

Senior/junior RHP Ben Jenzen(Grosse Pointe, Mich./Grosse Pointe South) ate up a bulk of the innings on a strong six inning performance. Jenzen replaced the starter, sophomore LHP Jeff DeCarlo(Medford, Mass./St. John's), striking out seven batters while allowing one run on three hits. DeCarlo went two-plus innings in the start, allowing one run on three hits while striking out four. Senior/junior RHP Michael Powers(St. Clair Shores, Mich./South Lake) suffered the loss, striking out three batters in the final two innings of the ballgame.

Senior 1B Nate Recknagel(Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion) and juniors DH Zach Putnam(Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer) and CF Kevin Cislo(Novi, Mich./Novi) had two hits apiece in the game.

The first inning featured lots of baserunners, but only the Wolverines could push any of them across, jumping out to a 1-0 lead. With the bases loaded in the top of the frame, DeCarlo worked his way out of a bases loaded jam with a strike out and a fly out to end the threat. Michigan got its first run thanks to a sharply hit ball to right field off the bat of Putnam. His line drive handcuffed the Pilot's outfielder allowing junior SS Jason Christian(Loveland, Ohio/Loveland) to score easily from third base on the error.

Portland put together single-runs in the second and fifth innings to pull ahead 2-1 until U-M was able to push across the equalizer in the sixth frame. With fifth-year Senior 2B Leif Mahler(Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles Prep) and Recknagel aboard on a double and a walk, respectively, Putnam drilled a shot under the diving Pilot third baseman and into left field. Mahler chugged around to score, beating the throw from the outfield to tie the game at 2-2.

Michigan created a golden opportunity for the win in the home-half of the ninth inning but couldn't push the deciding run across. Senior LF Derek VanBuskirk(St. Clair, Mich./St. Clair) got things underway with a lead-off double to the base of the right field wall. Cislo was plunked before sophomore C Chris Berset(Vienna, Va./Heights School) laid down a bunt toward first base to put two runners in scoring position. Freshman OF Ryan LaMarre(Jackson, Mich./Lumen Christi) was intentionally walked load the bases before the Portland pitcher was able to record the last two outs..

Portland took the deciding 4-2 lead in the top of the tenth. With runners on first and second, Kevin Armijo drilled a shot back up the middle and into centerfield. Cislo fired a throw home to catch the lead runner, but the tag came just after the Pilot touched the plate. Portland got the second run on a squeeze play, forcing the Wolverines to take the out at first and allow the second run to score.

Michigan responded in the bottom of the tenth with a two-out triple from junior 3B Adam Abraham(Grosse Pointe Park, Mich./South) and double into the corner from VanBuskirk to pull back to within one. Cislo laced a single that would have score VanBuskirk from second were it not for a diving stop by the Portland second baseman to hold the potential tying run 90 feet away -- where it would remain after the final out was recorded.

Michigan continues ASU Coca-Cola Classic action Saturday (March 1) with a doubleheader against Hawaii at noon and No. 1 Arizona State at 4 p.m. MST. The game will be played in Surprise, Ariz., at the Texas Rangers' spring training facility.

Contact: Gene Skidmore (734) 763-4423